After more than a year of campaigning for it, the Palestinian Authority will have its moment tomorrow when the General Assembly of the United Nations will vote to upgrade the PA’s status to nonvoting observer. Israel’s foes will rejoice and many of its friends will worry. Some of that will be justified, as the decision will be a symbolic triumph that the Palestinians will attempt to portray as tantamount to UN recognition of their independence in the areas Israel won in the Six-Day War. But after working hard to prevent this from happening, the Israeli government has decided to downplay the outcome. Some will interpret this as nothing more than a feeble attempt to spin a diplomatic defeat; the reaction is more than just politically astute. It is an accurate reflection of the real-world impact of the vote since it won’t change a thing on the ground in the Middle East or even at the UN itself.
The Palestinian Authority knows all too well that the victory they will win tomorrow is of minimal use to them. They can use it to create mischief for Israel in the International Criminal Court as well as bolster their already secure niche in the hearts of most UN member states and the world body’s bureaucracy. But it won’t get them one inch closer to actual independence or — more importantly — give them any credibility with Palestinians who will be quick to note that it will change nothing in the West Bank or in Gaza where the PA’s Hamas rivals rule over an independent state in all but name. Rather than seeking to punish the PA and its leader Mahmoud Abbas for effectively trashing the Oslo Accords, Israel can afford to ignore the vote since it will not move him any closer to a state or genuine international legitimacy. The only reason European nations and even some of the PA’s third-world allies are backing the move is because they know it has no significance. After all, how can any government claim to be independent when a rival group already exercises sovereignty over part of the territory it claims?
In the summer of 2011 when the Palestinians first announced their intention of trying an end around the U.S.-sponsored peace process via the UN, many foreign policy observers as well as many Israeli critics of the Netanyahu government were quick to portray this effort as a “diplomatic tsunami” that would completely isolate the Jewish state. But these visions of doom were quickly exposed as nothing more than hot air when the initiative flopped last year. The Palestinians failed to gain enough votes in the Security Council to force the U.S. to veto actual independence and they soon realized there was little appetite even in the General Assembly where they could count on an automatic anti-Israel majority to delve into the issue.
They’ve done better this year but not because anybody really thinks Fatah’s corrupt, discredited and unpopular West Bank regime is deserving of this upgrade. Rather, it is merely a way for the international community to pay lip service to the plight of the Palestinians. They’ve gained the votes of some European nations like France, not because Paris believes that Abbas’s pretensions should be gratified but because they think they need to make some gesture toward the PA after the recently concluded fighting between Israel and Hamas along the border with Gaza. By demonstrating that it had the support of Egypt and Turkey as well as most Palestinians for their terrorist rocket offensive against Israel, Hamas confirmed its status as the true face of Palestinian nationalism. The UN vote won’t do a thing to undermine the Islamist group, but it will allow many in the West and elsewhere to pretend as if they are doing something to bolster the alleged moderates of Fatah.
Both Israelis and Palestinians know that if PA leader Mahmoud Abbas actually wanted a state in the West Bank, he could have one if he was willing to pay the price of recognizing the legitimacy of a Jewish state no matter where its borders were drawn. Even if we were to assume that he wanted to do it, Abbas can’t since that would render him even more vulnerable to Hamas inroads in the West Bank.
The UN gambit is an insult to the U.S. and the European nations that fund the PA through foreign aid that does little to help ordinary Palestinians, since it is an attempt to evade negotiations rather than to facilitate them. But they are tolerating it since it allows Abbas a shred of dignity in his increasingly unequal competition with the terrorist government of Gaza. Were Jerusalem to punish the PA or, as Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has threatened to do in the past, to topple it, it would only make things more complicated for Israel and strengthen Hamas.
But after the hoopla tomorrow at Turtle Bay, there will be little in the way of negative fallout for the Israelis. Life will continue as usual in the West Bank and Gaza and the region will be no closer or farther away from peace. While certainly unwelcome, it is neither a tsunami nor even much of a nuisance. The best proof that Israel is right to ignore it will come in the days, weeks and months to come when both the Palestinians and their foreign cheerleaders realize that the UN vote was a non-event that did nothing much to advance their campaign against Israel.
Stop transferring millions of dollars to them. All they're after is cash so cut it off. Then cut off all infrastructure sharing and delivery to them such as water, fuel, electricity and gas Tell them to make a deal with Jordan. I hear Jordan is getting free oil from Iran.
You’re in the dark to know that US Foreign Aid ain’t fund but another Seigniorage Banksters Sharia Scam. It is a Fiat Money of No Monetary Value printed outta thin-air by the Fed and dumped Overseas in Vulnerable Speculative Economies as Shekel Market of Israel to become Dollar so the Privileged Palestinians & Stateless Settlers can smuggle it back into US & EU Economies. Hamas is the only faithful tragedists ally that Israel left with. Those ungrateful Beasts of the Iranian-B(i)tch-State that pulled the last Gaza Stunt Show aided Israel to extort Corrupt US Congress to get Iron-Dome(free-of-charge), F35 fleet(free-of-charge), Tens of Billions worth of leftovers of 85 Military Bases in Iraq, Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait & UAE (free-of-charge) and a raise of Zionists Lunch Money from $8M to $12M per day. How about that? I don’t think Israel would done it without Hamas Theatrical Rocket Dramas.
Got lost after the second left turn in your word-maze, clottie. I take it, then, that you agree with the Empress that Israel should cut the "Pals" from their allowance and liberal curfew?
wow you got lost after the second left turn in your word-maze, clottie. I never heard someone insults himself to have a conversation. yes the "Pals" ain't need fiat money neither from Israel nor the fed.
He may mean that YOU got lost after your second turn. I read your post all the way thru, but it wasn't worth the time or the effort. Abe may just have less patience than I for the disjointed semi-literate ravings of a third rate recycled conspiracy nut.
boring stalemate
Indeed mate, you ARE boring and stale.
This evening I attended a panel talk centered on the anticipated UN vote tomorrow. The participants were the Dutch ambassador to the UN, Herman Shaper and the Mayor of Hebron, Khaled Osaily. NYU professor Alon Ben-Meir led the discussion. n nThe consensus was that the General Assembly will tomorrow vote overwhelmingly to make Palestine a non voting member state. There was less clarity or certainty about the consequences . n nMayor Osaily claimed the Palestinian Authority has not interest in hauling any Israeli before the Int'l Criminal Court at the Hague. .Ben Meir believes that danger is not serious since the Hague has no enforcement powers. .But Ambassador Shaper noted that Israelis accused by the Palestinians, and possibly even by the ICC's own prosecutor, could be in danger, when traveling abroad, of being remanded to the Hague and there held and tried. n nThat the Israelis might deny the Palestinian Authority the taxes withheld from Palestinian laborers in Israel, Shaper thought improbable. That would wreck havoc with PA finances, something he believes Israel does not want. n nMayor Osaily is sure the vote tomorrow will start a new chapter in the peace process. Mamoud Abbas will drop his insistence on a settlement freeze and challenge Netanyahu to resume negotiations. The two state solution will be back on track. He emphasized several times that with the UN vote the occupied territories will no longer be disputed lands. Their legal status will now be indisputably Palestinian. n nHaving been bypassed during the question and answer period, I approach the mayor afterwards. I reminded him that the Palestinians and the entire Arab world denounced the Nov 1947 General Assembly's vote declaring a Palestinian and Jewish state. They deemed it illegal and meaningless. Now, after 65 years they seek that vote anew in order to claim the land is "indisputably" theirs. n nOsaily replied, I agree with you. Our greatest mistake was to oppose Resolution 194. n nI did not pursue the point, but it is all ridiculous. The Palestinians want to reverse a precedent which they themselves established. Their position in Nov 1947 subjected Israel to decades of war. killed thousands, scarred hundreds of thousands, It wasted hundreds of billions, and it lost the Palestinians substantial turf. n nThat they think can now all be reversed. Their old arguments can simply be disowned. They have a right to return to the 1949 lines. The General Assembly must now be obeyed. Everybody is entitled to make a mistake.
I'm afraid Tobin is badly mistaken minimizing the political import of this vote, which demonstrates very clearly that Israel's so-called European "friends" have moved ever closer to its Arab enemies. Furthermore, he neglects to mention that this will now allow the Arab occupiers of Judea and Samaria to pursue Israel in the kangaroo ICC for the supposed crimes of killing terrorists and protecting its citizens. And knowing the make-up the ICC the Arabs will score there too. Most dismaying is Tobin's counsel that the Israelis do nothing to undermine their continuing financial support of and political and military cooperation with the PA despite the latter's total violation of the Oslo Accords. In other words he advises continuing with the same failed policies that have only strengthened and legitimated the PA. Which brings us of course to the disastrous Oslo Accords that is both the father of this enemy bastard in Judea and Samaria and the most serious own goal that Israel has ever made. But Tobin has already warned his readers that not living in Israel he will never gainsay any policies supported by its democratically-elected government. So don't look to his column for any serious analysis about how Israel can start rectifying it many errors of the last 20 years.
The only THUG who promised to recognize Israel as Jewish State was Saudi King now he’s Clinically Dead. Israel as Jewish State and Saudi as Thugocracy are finished. As Arabspringer I know it and you know it. Hoopla tomorrow at Turtle Bay. My Ass! I will respect you and take you seriously Jonathan! If you quit borrowing GoogledJunk Analogies and stop WikiTrash Metaphors. General Assembly of the United Nations will vote to upgrade the PA’s status to nonvoting observer. PA will get UN subscription tomorrow without Recognizing Israel as Jewish State to get to ICC to turn kibitzers lives to hell. That’s what you said and what the Azeri Nightclub Bouncer Avigdor Lieberman threatened to topple Abbas’s Judea & Samaria whorehouse. The UN Gambit ain’t insult to U.S. and European Nations as you said. That’s Jewish. As matter of fact Obama is milking his prostate to VETO NO in support of Israel along with those Deceased Polynesian Islands of South Pacific and Bermuda. It’s an excellent precedent and opportunity for Obama administration to show the Whole World & the American Fools that few Jews as your-good-self can turn the Greatest Nation on Earth to Petty Israeli Brothel and a laughingstock among nations. It’s too stooopid of the Donut-Hole to stop bribing the Palestinian Authority goons for going wild. When it comes to money you are too Jewish to have any to crow about. That’s why you are earning your living fulltime bragging about Israel. You’re in the dark to know that US Foreign Aid ain’t fund but another Seigniorage Banksters Sharia Scam. It is a Fiat Money of No Monetary Value printed outta thin-air by the Fed and dumped Overseas in Vulnerable Speculative Economies as Shekel Market of Israel to become Dollar so the Privileged Palestinians & Stateless Settlers can smuggle it back into US & EU Economies. Hamas is the only faithful tragedists ally that Israel left with. Those ungrateful Beasts of the Iranian-B(i)tch-State that pulled the last Gaza Stunt Show aided Israel to extort Corrupt US Congress to get Iron-Dome(free-of-charge), F35 fleet(free-of-charge), Tens of Billions worth of leftovers of 85 Military Bases in Iraq, Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait & UAE (free-of-charge) and a raise of Zionists Lunch Money from $8M to $12M per day. How about that? I don’t think Israel would done it without Hamas Theatrical Rocket Dramas. Now hold your breath, Shut-up, Sit-down & Listen to Jonathan S. Tobin is Senior Online Editor of Commentary magazine.. Your discretion is advised: nISRAEL RIGHT TO DOWNPLAY UN VOTE n
O go on, clot, be a good buddy, tell us what sorcery you employ to squeek by with such long posts. Tell ya what, I promise to read past the first sentence of your lunatic's drivel if you divulge this secret. What do ya say, huh? Huh?
Sorry am straight. Not Anglosexual. I don’t speak gibberish. Stick to premise if you like continue clever conversation.
" I don’t speak gibberish." Maybe not, but you can sure write it. Can you also write intelligible English?
boring bye
Perhaps yes, perhaps no, but at least intelligible.
Part 1 n nWhistling in the dark is not a strategy, Jonathan; it's a hope. As practically pointless the resolution of the General Unwashed Rabble of the UN will be, the symbolic blow to Israel's historically and legally rightful claim to Judea and Samaria is important principally because Europe will back it, or chicken out of committing. Dear old predictable Europe. n nLet's put Europe's actions into a wider perspective: After nearly annihilating its Jewry for not belonging in Europe, it quickly found a way to pursue the Jews in their own homaland. Europe miraculously found its morals by backing politically and financially powerful fascist Muslim regimes and vicious terrorists who "coincidentally" declare their intention to annihilate the Jewish state and its Jewish citizens. It will now agree to grant statehood to a den of terrorists who cannot govern themsemselves, support themselves or control their Islamists genocidal urges. [...]
Part 2 n nThe Final Solution has not been cancelled. It has merely changed architects, strategies and tactics. I'm no expert, but I'll go on a limb and say that in Talmudic terms, Europe will now formalize its status as a pursuer, a rodef. Govern yourself accordingly, my Read Sea Pedestrian friends; the game has become even deadlier.